It is a known technique to use a laser to drill holes for vias in substrates for use with electronic equipment. For example, laser via drilling has been employed in connection with substrates used as the base members for packages that house integrated circuits (ICs) such as microprocessors.
As it becomes desirable to drill vias having smaller diameters than those typically formed at the present time, conventional laser drilling techniques may fail to produce satisfactory results. One particular challenge lies in producing via holes that are clean, and free of residue that may be produced by some drilling techniques.